JoCo Cruise Crazy/Cruise Ship Basics
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Cruise Ship Basics
Being on a cruise ship is often a new experience for first time Sea Monkeys. This section will address questions like "will I get seasick", "how much will it *really* cost", and "what the heck is a towel monkey and should I be scared of them?"
RTFM where the F stands for FUN! Highly recommended reading:
Review the instructional information provided by the cruise line. These materials will answer most of the basic cruise-related inquiries. For example, Holland America Line (HAL) offers a "Know Before You Go" PDF, and also a "Cruise FAQ" section on their website. This document may include (but not limited to) information regarding:
- Identification Requirements
- Emergency Phone Numbers
- Guests Under 21
- Immunization
- Customs Information
- Alcoholic Beverages Brought Onboard
- Baggage Policies & Packing Advice
- Clothing (with evening dress and electrical appliance guidelines)
- Gift Packages
- Dining
- Boarding Procedures
- Activities Onboard
- Excursions
- Services Onboard (includes laundry information, prohibition of irons in cabins)
- Shipboard Meals
- Medical Facilities
- Passenger Safety Briefing
- Smoking Policy
- Communications at Sea
- Shipboard Account
- Currency Exchange
- Hotel Service Charge
- Disembarkation Procedures
The Official JoCo Cruise Crazy website also features a detailed FAQ.
What to expect before the cruise
- [From The Home Office] Pre-cruise, we encourage you to visit the JCCC Discussion Forums, where people may already self-organizing various activities and events, including dance lessons, an a cappella group, coordinating shore excursions, Rock Band sessions in individual cabins, and much, much more. So if you’re interested in joining in, or starting an unofficial group/event of your own, dive on in and join the discussions. BONUS: everyone there is super-friendly!
- Consider Travel / Trip Insurance - Price it out on sites that represent several insurance companies. These include InsureMyTrip, SquareMouth, and QuoteWright. Some of the bigger companies include TravelGuard and CSA.
- Arrive to the Port city one day early. (Get there the day before)
- Embarkation procedure (See RTFunM above)
- Call your credit card companies and inform them of your itinerary
What to expect on the ship
- Food - where to find it, what is free, what costs extra
- Main Dining Room Dress Code (See RTFunM above)
- Formal nights vs normal nights, formal is defined by cruise line, not JCCC staff.
- General experience: Shorts and printed t-shirts are generally not permitted. Please note that the dress code only applies when dining in the Main Dining Room or specialty restaurants. Evening meals are available in additional locations.
- How to pay for stuff (drink cards vs room key)
- Will I get sea sick
- Motion sickness and/or nausea remedies: over-the-counter medications, prescription medication patches, candied gingerroot, ginger pills, ginger gum, acupressure wrist bands. YMMV.
- Personal hygiene recommendations
- Mandatory Muster/Lifeboat drill - do not skip this! (See RTFunM above)
- Booking Extras: (See RTFunM above)
- [According to The Home Office and HAL]: In general, all passengers may use their HAL booking numbers begin booking shore excursions, spa appointments, and so forth starting 6 months prior to sailing.
- Excursions
- Speciality dining reservations
- Spa and salon reservations
- Indulgence packages, beverage cards, etc.
- Internet Access (See RTFunM above)- On HAL, pricey Internet Packages are available for purchase. It is reported that access is painfully slow.
- Smoking Policies (See RTFunM above)
- Shipboard Account: It is recommended that passengers review their shipboard account towards the end of the cruise. Documents can be obtained by request at the Front Office.
What to expect after the cruise
- putting out luggage night before
- give some wiggle room between cruise arrival and departing flight
- Disembarkation typically takes place between 7:00 am and 10:00 am.
- Allow time to gather luggage and go through US Customs.
- hanging out with other sea monkeys in airport
- land legs / dock rock / swaying is normal, do not be alarmed.
- Check your credit card statements. If you have unexpected charges, email onboardaccounts (AT) hollandamerica (DOT) com with the following information:
- HAL booking number
- Ship name
- Sail date
- Room number
- Your name
Links
- Main JoCo Cruise Crazy page
- Port Everglades Webcam
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